Aircraft spiralling mechanism—c

ABSTRACT

An aircraft  1  with a spiral inducing assembly  2  which is capable of inducing the aircraft to travel in a continuous spiralling motion without the aircraft rolling. Two fins  6  and  17  are attached to a tube  3   a  that is able to rotate around the encircled part of the fuselage. The fins  6, 17  are able to rotate in a pivoting manner on the rotatable tube  3   a  with respect to the rotatable tube  3   a , thereby changing their pitch relative to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable tube  3   a . Rotation of the rotatable tube is achieved by using an electric motor  3   b  turning a wheel  3   c . The wheel  3   c  makes contact with the rotatable tube. When pitched at an angle to the longitudinal axis in unison, both fins  6, 17  would exert a lateral force on the rotatable tube  3   a . But as the rotatable tube is pushed sideways, it rotates, and hence the lateral direction of push constantly revolves, causing a spiralling motion of the aircraft when in flight. The rotation of one fin causes the rotation of another fin.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part patent application, being acontinuation-in-part of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/886,639,filed on Jun. 22, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,923.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is related to the field of aviation dealing with missilesand military attack airplanes.

The aim of this invention is to provide an aircraft that has higherchance of surviving attacks from anti-aircraft weapons when flying overenemy territory than aircraft currently in use. The aircraft accordingto this invention is fitted with a mechanism that enables the aircraftto travel in a continuous spiralling motion while flying over enemyteritorry, without the need for a pilot to make continues controladjustments. The mechanism is such that once activated, the spirallingmotion is automatic. The mechanism can aslo be dis-engaged by a pilotwhen so desired. The spiralling motion is achieved during flight withouthaving to roll the aircraft.

While a pilot flying a conventional aircraft such as a jet fighter couldmake the conventional aircraft fly in a spiralling motion, this couldonly be achieved if the pilot kept making continuous control changeswith his own arm. This could become quite tiresome and strenuous after awhile and would require continued concentration, if the spiralling wasachieved without rolling the aircraft. Rolling the aircraft, as in theform of a barrel roll, may seem like an easy alternative, but continuousrolling would make a pilot dizzy after a while, leading to loss ofcontrol, and if close to the ground, a potential for a crash. Acontinuous rolling motion would also make it hard for the pilot toobserve enemy territory, navigate and make target selection. That is,using a sustained rolling motion in order to achieve a prolongedspiralling motion would not be practical.

The aircraft in this invention would allow the pilot to operateconventional controls in a conventional manner, as when flying in asmooth manner, while the aircraft continued to travel in a spirallingmotion. The advantage of this is that the pilot would be able tocontinue to observe enemy territory and would be free to concentrate ontargeting enemy sites while the aircraft flew in an evasive manner.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,243 in the name of Stoy shows a missile withvariable pitch fins on a rotatable tube that are moved by independentactuators, and a computer to control the operation of the actuators.While the intention of Stoy wasn't to provide a missile that couldtravel in a continuous spiralling motion, such a motion could beachieved by the missile shown in Stoy's patent with appropriateprogramming of the controlling computer. The current invention providesa mechanical means for inducing a spiralling motion in an aircraft thatdoes not need a computer to control the position of the fins on arotatable tube to induce a spiralling motion in the aircraft.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this invention the spiralling motion of a fast flying aircraft isachieved by using moveable fins on a rotatable tube, with the tubeencircling a part of the main body aircraft and with the tube able torotate around the encircled part of the aircraft.

The fins are attached to the rotatable tube so that they can be rotatedin a pivoting manner relative to the rotatable tube. That is, if therotatable tube was kept in a fixed position on the airplane so as not torotate, the fin movement would resemble the movement of canards onaircraft such as the Eurofighter and the recent version of the SukhoiSu-37. The fins would turn in a pitch altering motion in the samedirection. With the fins horizontal, the aircraft would be allowed tofly smoothly. When the fins are rotated from the horizontal position,they would act to push the aircraft in a similar manner to the way thatcanards would (if positioned on the forward part of the aircraft).

For the aircraft to enter a spiralling motion, the fins would need torevolve around the body of the aircraft so that the aircraft is pushedin changing directions. In the invention this is achieved by using therotatable tube that allows the fins to revolve around the main body ofthe aircraft—using the rotatable tube as a means of travelling around apart of the main body of the aircraft.

To rotate the rotatable tube, and electric motor attached to the mainbody of the aircraft can be used, rotating a wheel that makes contactwith the rotatble tube. As the wheel is rotated by the electric motor,the wheel rotates the rotatable tube. Another way is to use protrudingsection that prodrudes from the tube which could force the tube torotate. The protruding section would be shaped so that dynamic action byair on the protruding section could force the tube to rotate duringflight of the aircraft. The protruding section could be in the form of afin fixed in position, or a fin that is rotatable relative to the tube.

Although the aircraft could be in the form of a jet propelled airplane,it could be in the form of any one of a range of aircraft such as guidedmissiles and unguided missiles. It could also be in the form ofunpropelled aircraft such as gliders or winged bombs that are designedto glide to a target.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 shows the left side view of an aircraft in the form of a jetairplane comprising a spiral inducing assembly.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the spiral inducing assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the left side of the spiral inducing assembly of FIG. 1after the spiral inducing assembly has been activated to cause aspiralling motion to occur.

FIG. 4 shows the right side of the spiral inducing assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows the airplane of FIG. 1 as viewed from underneath theairplane.

FIG. 6 shows the spiral inducing assembly of FIG. 4 in an activatedstate, and after the rotatable tube has been rotated.

FIG. 7 shows an aircraft according to this invention in the form of amissile.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the spiral inducing assembly ofFIG. 1 as viewed from the front of the airplane.

FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the spiral inducing assembly asviewed from behind the spiral inducing assembly.

FIG. 10 shows the left side of the front of the fuselage of the airplaneof FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 shows a protruding section in the form of a fin being used torotate the rotatable tube of the spiral inducing assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows one form of the aircraft 1 as a jet propelled airplane 1,fitted with a spiral inducing assembly 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, a rotatable tube 3 a forming part of the spiralinducing assembly 2 can be seen encircling part of the fuselage 4 of theairplane 1. The fuselage has a fore end and aft end. Referring to thistube 3 a as the primary tube 3 a, the primary tube 3 a is able to rotatearound the part of the fuselage encircled by the primary tube. Anelectric motor 3 b comprising a wheel 3 c is used to rotate the primarytube when the spiral inducing mechanism is activated. The wheel is incontact with the primary tube and the wheel is rotated by the electricmotor. The primary tube is shown as being narrower in the front than atthe rear. Also shown is another tube 5 that is fitted to the airplanesuch that it encircles part of the fuselage 4 of the airplane. Referringto this tube 5 as the activation tube 5, the activation tube 5 is fittedso that it can be moved in a forward direction relative to the part ofthe fuselage 4 encircled by the activation tube and then back to itsoriginal position on the fuselage. FIG. 1 also shows the edge of onehorizontal fin 6 that is connected to the outside of the primary tube 3a. The fin 6 is connected to the outside of primary tube 3 a such thatit can rotate in a pivoting manner as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of the left side of the spiralinducing assembly 2. The fin 6 in FIG. 2 is connected to the outside ofthe primary tube 3 a by a connecting joint which is in the form of aconnecting rod 7. Extended from the connecting rod 7 in FIG. 2 is aprotruding section 8 which is used to rotate the connecting rod 7.Rotation of the connecting rod 7 causes the fin 6 to rotate in apivoting manner around the connecting rod 7 (in the manner shown in FIG.3). Linked to the protruding section 8 in FIG. 2 is a stem 9. Referringto this stem 9 as an activation stem 9, the activation stem 9 is used asa means for pushing the protruding section 8 such that when theprotruding section 8 is pushed, the protruding section 8 forces theconnecting rod 7 to rotate around the longitudinal axis of theconnecting rod 7. The activation stem 9 is linked to the protrudingsection 8 by a rivet 10. The activation stem 9 is shown as being fittedon the inside of the primary tube 3 a and is supported inside theprimary tube 3 a by a retaining bracket 11. The retaining bracket 11 isrigidly joined to the inside of the primary tube but is channelled toallow the activation stem 9 to move longitudinally between the retainingbracket 11 and the primary tube 3 a. The activation stem 9 is allowed toprotrude rearward from the primary tube so that it can be reached by theactivation tube 5 when the activation tube 5 is moved forward on thefuselage 4. The activation tube 5 is forced to move forward by anactivation mechanism 12 consisting of hydraulic actuators 13 and 14.

FIG. 3 shows that as the activation tube 5 is forced to move forward onthe fuselage 4 when the hydraulic actuators 13 and 14 extend, iteventually makes contact with the activation stem 9. As the activationtube 5 is forced to move further forward, it pushes the activation stem9 forward on primary tube. As the activation stem 9 is pushed forward,the activation stem pushes against the protruding section 8 and movesthe protruding section 8, thereby rotating the fin 6 around theconnecting rod 7 in a pivoting manner.

In FIG. 3 a rivet 10 is shown connecting the activation stem 9 to theprotruding section 8, which allows movement between the activation stem9 and the protruding section 8. The retaining bracket 11 keeps theactivation stem from moving laterally around the primary tube. Theretaining bracket 11 however does allow longitudinal sliding movement ofthe activation stem 9 so that it can be pushed and moved by theactivation tube 5.

FIG. 4 shows the right side of the spiral inducing assembly 2 of FIG. 1.Shown is another fin 17, another connecting joint in the form of aconnecting rod 18 that connects the fin 17 to the outside of the primarytube 3 a. Another protruding section 19 is used to rotate the connectingrod 18, and the activation stem 20 is used to push the protrudingsection 19, with the activation stem 20 linked to the protruding section19 by a rivet 21. Also visible in FIG. 4 is the activation tube 5. Theconnecting rod 18 allows the fin 17 to rotate in a pivoting manner.Another retaining bracket 22 is shown supporting the respectiveactivation stem 20. FIG. 4 shows the hydraulic actuators 15 and 16located on the right side of the spiral inducing assembly 2 which alsoform part of the activation mechanism 12 by which the activation tube 5is forced to move. When the hydraulic actuators 13 14 15 and 16 areforced to extend as hydraulic pressure is applied to them, they forcethe activation tube 5 to move forward as shown in FIG. 3.

Thus, it can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 that the activation tube5, the activation stems 9 and 20, retaining brackets 11 and 22,protruding sections 8 and 19, rivets 10 and 21 used to connect theactivation stems 9 and 20 to respective protruding sections 8 and 19,the connecting joints 7 and 18 in the form of connecting rods 7 and 18,and the activation mechanism 12 used to move the activation tube 5consisting of the hydraulic actuators 13, 14, 15 and 16, collectivelyform a fin rotating mechanism, by which fin rotating mechanism the finscan be rotated symmetrically in the same direction, so that the forceexerted on the primary tube by one fin can be overcome by the forceexerted on the primary tube by another fin.

FIG. 5 shows the airplane 1 of FIG. 1 from underneath.

FIG. 6 shows the spiral inducing assembly of FIG. 4 with the fins 6 and17 of FIG. 4, and with the primary tube 3 a in a state of rotation. Itcan be seen comparing FIG. 5 with FIG. 6 how the lateral forces on theairplane would be constantly changing, enabling the spiral inducingassembly 2, to force the airplane 1 to travel in a continuous spirallingmotion.

Looking at the fins 6 and 17 shown in FIG. 6 it can be seen that therear section of each fin behind the respective connecting rods 7 and 18is greater than the section of each fin in front the respectiveconnecting rods 7 and 18. This is deliberate. This is used to allow thefins to adopt a horizontal position when hydraulic pressure is releasedfrom the hydraulic actuators 13, 14 (and 15 and 16 of FIG. 4) allowingthe activation tube 5 to retreat away from the primary tube 3 a.Aerodynamic forces are in effect used to allow the fins to return to aresting horizontal position, allowing the airplane to re-commence asmooth

FIG. 7 shows an aircraft according to this invention in the form of amissile with a spiral inducing assembly 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the spiral inducing assembly ofFIG. 1 as viewed from the front of the airplane. Shown here is theprimary tube 3 a, the fins 6 and 17, the fuselage 4 of the airlane, theactivation stems 9 and 20, linked by rivets to the protruding sections 8and 19 respectively, the connecting rods 7 and 18 penetrating theprimary tube 3 a, and with the protruding sections 8 and 19 screwed inthe connecting rods 7 and 18 respectively. FIG. 8 shows a way ofsupporting the primary tube 3 a. Shown is a tube of smaller diameter 23than the primary tube 3 a. This smaller tube 23 is a supporting tube inthat it is used to support the primary tube 3 a. It has a smallerdiameter than the primary tube 3 a to provide a gap 24 between theprimary tube 3 a and the supporting tube 23. The gap 24 is used to allowfreedom of movement to the protruding sections 8 and 19, and theactivation stems 9 and 20 shown positioned inside the primary tube 3 a.Bolts 25, 26, 27 and 28 are used to join the primary tube 3 a to thesupporting tube 23. The supporting tube 23 is able to rotate around theencircled part of the fuselage 4.

FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the spiral inducing assembly asviewed from behind the spiral inducing assembly. Shown in FIG. 6 are therear ends of the activation stems 9 and 20, and the retaining brackets11 and 22 that support the activation stems 9 and 20, and preventuncontrolled lateral movement of the activation stems 9 and 20.

FIG. 10 shows a side cutting of the part of the fuselage 4 encircled bythe primary tube 3 a of FIG. 1. The encircled part of the fuselage 4 canbe seen to be narrower than the rest of the fuselage 4. Thrust bearings29 and 30 are positioned on the narrowed section of fuselage 4. Thethrust bearings are used to prevent the primary tube movinglongitudinally relative to the fuselage 4.

FIG. 11 shows a variation of the spiral inducing assembly of FIG. 2. Theelectric motor has been replaced with a protruding section in the formof a fin that protrudes from the primary tube, and is angled so as toforce the primary tube to rotate during flight.

1. An aircraft comprising a tube, which tube encircles part of the aircraft and is able to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, and which aircraft comprises a means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, which aircraft also comprises a plurality of fins, which fins are connected to the tube such that the fins can be rotated in a pivoting manner relative to the tube, and such that the fins can be rotated in the said pivoting manner in the same direction relative to the tube, and which aircraft also comprises a fin rotating mechanism by which fin rotating mechanism the fins can be rotated in the said pivoting manner in the same direction as each other relative to the tube and such that rotation of one fin in a pivoting manner relative to the tube causes rotation of another fin relative to the tube in the same direction as a direction of rotation of the said one fin relative to the tube.
 2. An aircraft comprising a tube, which tube encircles part of the aircraft and is able to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, and which aircraft comprises a means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, which aircraft also comprises a plurality of fins, which fins are connected to the tube such that the fins can be rotated in a pivoting manner relative to the tube, and such that the fins can be rotated in the said pivoting manner in the same direction relative to the tube, and which aircraft also comprises a fin rotating mechanism by which fin rotating mechanism the said fins can be rotated in the said pivoting manner in the same direction as each other relative to the tube and such that mechanical action by the fin rotating mechanism to pivotally rotate one fin relative to the tube can cause rotation of another fin relative to the tube in the same direction as a direction of rotation of the said one fin relative to the tube.
 3. An aircraft comprising a tube, which tube encircles part of the aircraft and is able to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, and which aircraft comprises a means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, which aircraft also comprises a plurality of fins, which fins are connected to the tube such that the fins can be rotated in a pivoting manner relative to the tube, and which aircraft also comprises a fin rotating mechanism by which fin rotating mechanism the fins can be rotated in the said pivoting manner such that flight of the aircraft rotation of one fin relative to the tube could create a force that could cause the tube to rotate in one direction as a result of dynamic action by air on the one fin if rotation of the tube was not restricted, and which fin if rotation mechanism is such that the said rotation of the one fin relative to the tube causes rotation of another fin relative to the tube such that during flight of the aircraft the another fin could force the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft in a direction that is opposite to the said one direction as a result of dynamic action by air on the another fin if no other fin exerted a force on the tube and rotation of the tube was not otherwise restricted.
 4. An aircraft comprising a tube, which tube encircles part of the aircraft and is able to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, and which aircraft comprises a means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft, which aircraft also comprises a plurality of fins, which fins are connected to the tube such that the fins can be rotated in a pivoting manner relative to the tube, and which aircraft also comprises a fin rotating mechanism by which fin rotating mechanism the fins can be rotated in the said pivoting manner by means of mechanical action by the fin rotating mechanism such that during flight of the aircraft rotation of one fin relative to the tube could create a force that could cause the tube to rotate in one direction as a result of dynamic action by air on the one fin if rotation of the tube was not restricted, and which fin rotating mechanism is such that the said mechanical action by the fin rotating mechanism to rotate the one fin relative to the tube can cause rotation of another fin relative to the tube such that during flight of the aircraft the another fin could force the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft in a direction that is opposite to the said one direction as a result of dynamic action by air on the another fin if no other fin exerted a force on the tube and rotation of the tube was not otherwise retricted.
 5. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the rotation of the fins in the said same direction is such that the rotation of the fins is substantially in the same direction relative to the tube.
 6. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein the rotation of the fins in the said same direction is such that the rotation of the fins is substantially in the same direction relative to the tube.
 7. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the said meand to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises an electric motor connected to the aircraft such that the electric motor is able to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 8. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises an electric motor connected to the aircraft such that the electric motor is able to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 9. The aircraft of claim 3 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises an electric motor connected to the aircraft such that the electric motor is able to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 10. The aircraft of claim 4 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises an electric motor connected to the aircraft such that the electric motor is able to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 11. The aircraft of claim 5 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises an electric motor connected to the aircraft such that the electric motor is able to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 12. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises an electric motor connected to the aircraft such that the electric motor is able to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 13. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises a protruding section, which protruding section protrudes outward from the tube, and which protruding section is such that during flight by the aircraft, dynamic action by air on the protruding section can cause the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 14. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises a protruding section, which protruding section protrudes outward from the tube, and which protruding section is such that during flight by the aircraft, dynamic action by air on the protruding section can cause the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 15. The aircraft of claim 3 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises a protruding section, which protruding section protrudes outward from the tube, and which protruding section is such that during flight by the aircraft, dynamic action by air on the protruding section can cause the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 16. The aircraft of claim 4 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises a protruding section, which protruding section protrudes outward from the tube, and which protruding section is such that during flight by the aircraft, dynamic action by air on the protruding section can cause the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 17. The aircraft of claim 5 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises a protruding section, which protruding section protrudes outward from the tube, and which protruding section is such that during flight by the aircraft, dynamic action by air on the protruding section can cause the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 18. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the said means to rotate the tube relative to the encircled part of the aircraft comprises a protruding section, which protruding section protrudes outward from the tube, and which protruding section is such that during flight by the aircraft, dynamic action by air on the protruding section can cause the tube to rotate relative to the encircled part of the aircraft.
 19. The aircraft of any one of claims 1, 2, 3-8, 9-14, 15-18 wherein the said aircraft is a missile.
 20. The aircraft of any one of claims 1, 2, 3-8, 9-14, 15-18 wherein the said aircraft is an airplane. 